Junior League World Series (softball) facts for kids

The Junior League Softball World Series is a big softball tournament just for girls! It's for players who are 12 to 14 years old. This exciting event is run by Little League Baseball, Inc. and happens every year. You can find it in Kirkland, Washington, which is a town near Seattle.

Junior League Softball World Series welcome sign

How the Tournament Works

This tournament started in 1999. It's called a "World Series" because teams come from all over the globe! Ten different regions send their best teams to compete.

Here are the regions that send teams:

• Asia-Pacific
• Canada
• Europe/Africa
• Latin America
• United States (USA) Central
• USA East
• USA South
• USA Southwest
• USA West
• The Host team from Washington District 9

Playing the Games

The ten teams are first split into two groups, called pools. Each pool has five teams. The top four teams from each pool then move on to the quarter-finals. This is where the games become "single-elimination." This means if a team loses, they are out of the championship race.

The winners of the quarter-finals play in the semi-finals. Then, the two teams that win their semi-final games play each other for the championship title!

Teams that lose in the quarter-finals, and the teams that finished last in their pools, still get to play. They play in "friendship games" just for fun. The teams that lose in the semi-finals play each other in a "consolation final" to decide third and fourth place. All the main games are shown live on ESPN+.

Past Champions

Champions by Year

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-Up
1999	Woodway-Hewitt, Texas	4–1	Usa West
2000	Naples, Florida	12–3	Usa East
2001	Naples, Florida	5–3	Host Team
2002	Utrecht, Netherlands	5–3	Tampa Bay, Florida
2003	Bacolod, Philippines	2–0	Manuabo, Puerto Rico
2004	South Bend, Indiana	10–1	Giddings, Texas
2005	Lake Wales, Florida	4–0	La Grange, Texas
2006	Naples, Florida	8–0	Bacolod, Philippines
2007	Maunabo, Puerto Rico	16–6	Westchester-Del Rey, California
2008	Oro Valley, Arizona	10–4	Maunabo, Puerto Rico
2009	Maunabo, Puerto Rico	2–1	Elyria, Ohio
2010	Maunabo, Puerto Rico	4–3	Tampa, Florida
2011	Croswell, Michigan	10–0	Tampa, Florida
2012	Anchorage, Alaska	6–2	Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
2013	Tampa, Florida	10–1	Kirkland, Washington
2014	Greensburg, Pennsylvania	6–2	Mexicali, Mexico
2015	Tampa, Florida	9–2	Norzagaray, Philippines
2016	Maunabo, Puerto Rico	8–6	Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
2017	Poland, Ohio	7–1	Kirkland, Washington
2018	Santa Clara, Utah	9–3	Smithville, Texas
2019	Tampa, Florida	7–6	Columbus, Texas
2020	Cancelled due to COVID-19 crisis
2021	Cancelled due to COVID-19 crisis
2022	Jenison, Michigan	5–1	Irmo, South Carolina
2023	Bago, Philippines	3–0	Milford, Connecticut
2024	Prague, Czech Republic	5–3	Poland, Ohio

Championships by Location

Flag	Winner	Total	Years
	Maunabo, Puerto Rico	4	2007, 2009, 2010, 2016
	Naples, Florida	3	2000, 2001, 2006
	Tampa, Florida	3	2013, 2015, 2019
	Santa Clara, Utah	1	2018
	Anchorage, Alaska	1	2012
	Greensburg, Pennsylvania	1	2014
	Croswell, Michigan	1	2011
	Jenison, Michigan	1	2022
	Oro Valley, Arizona	1	2008
	Lake Wales, Florida	1	2005
	Poland, Ohio	1	2017
	South Bend, Indiana	1	2004
	Bacolod, Philippines	1	2003
	Bago, Philippines	1	2023
	Utrecht, Netherlands	1	2002
	Woodway-Hewitt, Texas	1	1999

More About Softball

• Little League Softball World Series
• List of Little League Softball World Series champions by division